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Yoga Journal’s archives series is a curated collection of articles originally published in past issues beginning in 1975. This article about Camel Pose (Ustrasana) first appeared in the May-June 1983 issue of Yoga Journal.
Camel Pose (Ustrasana) requires strength in the legs and buttocks and softness in the spine, thus combining two important aspects of yoga.
To practice the asana well, the student must learn to stabilize the pose from the tightening of the buttocks; this action creates a strong base for the sacroiliac joints (site where the pelvis and spine join) and more stability in the lumbar (lower) spine, which can be unstable in backward bends.
In order to keep the delicate lower back area in good alignment, it is very important to tighten the buttocks as the chest is lifted and the back is arched. The arch will then come from an even bend of the entire spine rather than from a hinge-like movement of the lumbar spine. To create the graceful arch characteristic of this pose, the student should concentrate on lifting the upper back.
The softness of the pose is facilitated by the softness of the breath. Through practice, one learns to exhale softly in Camel Pose, keeping the abdomen and diaphragm soft, and allowing the free flow of breath and energy. If the breath is held, the diaphragm and abdomen harden and prevent the spine from bending as freely.
If practiced well, it works the upper back and scapula (shoulder blade) area. In addition, the pose is a good way for more advanced students to learn how to drop back into an arch from a standing position. Even though the student is on the knees, the dynamics of the arch in Camel Pose are quite similar to those of a standing back arch.
Backbending positions such as Camel are an important part of a yoga practice for several reasons. During a normal day we are apt to bend forward, twist, side-bend, squat, and even perform tasks that require arm strength, but rarely to bend backward. Yet the spinal column is indeed capable of such movement, which can be therapeutic. So much spinal movement, especially in the lumbar region, is forward—sitting, driving, bending over.
In order to maintain the normal curve of the lumbar spine, the structures that allow it to bend backward must be stretched. The lumbar spine needs this movement to balance the predominance of daily movements in the opposite direction. Forward bending can momentarily relieve tightness in the lumbar region, but it does nothing in the long run to stretch the front of the spine or to strengthen the paraspinal muscles, which are parallel to the spine and help keep the area in good alignment.
Camel is also important for psychological reasons. It can teach one a great deal about the nature of effort in one’s practice. If too much effort is expanded in Camel, the pose will be rigid and hard, the spine gripped too tightly to allow for proper movement. If too little effort is expended, the spine is overstretched in the lumbar region, understretched in the upper regions, and the pose lacks stability and integrity. Therefore, the student must use balanced effort and surrender to allow the arch to come as it will.
Likewise, if one tries to force the mind to be still in meditation, that very effort agitates the mind even more. If, on the other hand, one attempts no discipline, the mind will continue its wild meanderings, and stillness will never come. The elusive balance of Camel parallels the elusive balance of one’s entire yoga practice: with practice one learns to harmonize effort and direction with surrender and softness. This balance leads to a certain equanimity, which then spreads from the asana to the breath, from the breath to the mind, and finally to the rest of one’s life. When this happens, the student is no longer a beginner, and, indeed, has begun to understand the profound simplicity that is yoga.
How to Practice Camel Pose
Stand on the knees in front of a wall, using a blanket if the floor hurts your kneecaps.
Begin learning the pose by stretching the arms up the wall and extending the spinal column while keeping the buttocks contracted (Figure 3). Gradually the arms can be stretched to the sides and the hands placed just above the buttocks or below them. Remember to make all movements on exhalation. Keeping the buttocks tight and the pelvis moving forward, lift the sternum (breastbone) higher to create the arch.
Be careful that the coccyx (tailbone) does not lift when doing this. If it does, the lumbar spine is arching too much. Gradually bend backward, without strain and with soft breath (Figure 4). If possible, grasp the heels with the hands. In the beginning, you may curl the toes under to allow the heels to come up. This shortens the distance the arms must reach (Figure 4). Hold the pose at the end of your range, breathe slowly for half a minute, then come up slowly. Repeat. Try to come up evenly without twisting the spinal column to one side.
Later, when Camel Pose feels more familiar, try it in the center of the room. You may vary the pose by keeping the head up (Figure 2) and concentrating on extending the neck before dropping the head back to complete the arch.
A Note to Teachers
To help your students in Camel, give them other poses that stretch the front of the upper thighs, over the hip joints. Students who are tight in the front of the thighs tend to practice Camel Pose by bending too much in the lower back. The front of the thighs must open and elongate to allow the pelvis to tip backward; this means some of the bend must come from the pelvis, lessening the movement in the lumbar spine and thus preventing possible strain.
Poses that stretch the front of the thighs include the lunging position in the Sun Salutation and Reclining Hero Pose (Supta Virasana).
